Hi She Writers,

I’m writing to you from a quiet part of the world where I’ve come for a spiritual retreat. I needed to get away from real life for a few days so I could mentally prepare myself for the upcoming school year, transition to a new school for my kids, oh, and the official launch of Substitute Me next week.

Right before I left, I was simultaneously trying to figure out where to hold my release party, convince my publisher to send me to Miami in October, and figure out how to get the banner on my newsletter to match the banner on my website. And it wasn’t working.

I needed this break. I needed the time away. While I’m here, I’ve given myself permission to put a hold on book planning. And to stem the panic from rising, I decided to make a list of what’s already in place to prove to myself that things are already looking pretty good. I don’t need to panic. In fact, I have a lot to look forward to and be excited about.

Here are just some of the highlights.

• A short feature was written about Substitute Me in the August issue of Essence Magazine.

• Substitute Me was included in a round-up story of “Nanny Novels We Love” in Entertainment Weekly magazine.

• Booklist Magazine gave Substitute Me a very favorable review

• My publisher is hosting a very swanky release party for Substitute Me in Manhattan on September 16.

• Wonderful bloggers have written glowing reviews of Substitute Me and Tweeted about it without any requests from me.

• I’ve been invited to two major book festivals, Fall for the Book in DC and the Miami Book Festival.

And these are just the highlights. When I see this list, I relax. I sigh with relief. I actually get excited. It’s so easy to think I’m falling behind or that I’m not doing enough to promote my book, but that’s because I don’t have enough perspective. I’m smack dab in the middle of the whirlwind, so I can’t see the individual achievements.

When I come back from my retreat, I know I will jump back into that whirlwind because it is inevitable. But I’ll be trying very hard to keep these highlights in my sights. In fact, I think I’ll print the list out and hang it right above my desk with a line that says, ‘It’s All Good.’ Sometimes we need these physical reminders. I know I do.

What about you She Writers, do you have any highlights you want to share? It's important to trumpet our achievements instead of bemoan the failures or the 'hasn't happened yets.' I think good news is contagious, so please everyone, let's share.